


Tattoos Together

by emchewchew



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Childhood Friends, College Student Ben, College Student Rey (Star Wars), Complete, F/M, Growing Up Together, Happily Ever After, Light Angst, Snoke Being a Dick, Tattoos, Time Skips, but theyre soul mates, foster kid Rey, its what they DESERVE, lots of treasure planet references, minor ben/phasma, they are each others family, this isn't a soul mate au, ya know
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-17
Updated: 2020-02-18
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:20:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22766902
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emchewchew/pseuds/emchewchew
Summary: They’re not even dating, but they’re in Portland and someone suggested it.So they get tattoos together. And if it’s too soon?Well, fuck it, whatever. It’s something to remember.See also: it’s the Lauv song, but Reylo.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 5
Kudos: 51





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> I woke up one morning with this song stuck in my head and then this happened. I blame any and all Treasure Planet references on Amber. Somehow, a lot of myself ended up in this one, so I hope you don’t mind the em-isms. 
> 
> The second chapter is nearly done and should be posted tomorrow. 
> 
> Happy reading!

_Said I'd never fall, I'd never fall_

_I'd never fall, but then I fell for you._

_Back against the wall, against the wall_

_Against the wall, that's how it felt with you._

The Solos lived next to the Niimas on Waverly Court in a small town southwest of Portland, Oregon. Han Solo was married to Leia Organa Solo, and they had a son named Ben, who was four years younger than the Niima twins, Riia and Teedo. The twins never cared much for Ben, and their parents weren’t around often enough to plan play dates of any kind, so Ben got used to playing in the cul de sac alone. 

He was six years old when Riia and Teedo’s parents brought a little girl to their house with nothing but the clothes on her back and a small blanket, which she clutched tightly to her chest. A new friend, Ben thought as he sat in the alcove in the Solos front dining room, peering out the window. His chubby little fingers pulled the blinds down so he could get a better look at the girl with buns in her hair who was sure to be more fun than those big kids standing on their front porch with their arms crossed and scowls on their poopy faces. 

“Benjamin, dear, be careful with the blinds, please,” Leia scolded softly as she walked over to the couch upon which Ben stood on his tip toes. She peered out the window to see what had caught Ben’s attention. 

“Well would you look at that,” Leia said, surprise coloring her voice. “They really did go through with fostering, then,” she mused softly, more to herself than Ben. 

“Whassa fostering, Mama?” Ben asked.

“Oh, sweetie, it just means they’re getting a new little sister. At least for a while,” Leia explained. She’d noticed the less than enthusiastic body language of the twins, as well, and felt a pang in her heart for the small girl already. She’d never been in foster care herself, but she was adopted, and she knew how easy it could be to feel all alone, even in a house full of people. Oh, she hoped that family would be sweet to that baby. 

“Benny, what do ya think about going over and giving our new neighbor a warm welcome in a couple days, huh? We can bake her some brownies if you want,” she said after the Niimas had ushered all the children into their house. 

“Can I lick the spoon?” little Ben asked, deadly serious.

Leia chuckled at her little boy. “Of course, baby. C’mon now, it’s time for dinner,” she said and led Ben into the kitchen for supper. 

Two days later, Leia and Ben visited the Niimas, brownies in hand. Riia and Teedo squished together on one end of the Niima’s awful plaid couch, as if they wanted to be as far from the girl at the other end as possible. Ben finally got a good look at the new girl. Unlike the twins with their ultra light blonde hair and gray-blue eyes, the girl had hazel eyes and brown hair pulled back into the three buns Ben had noticed the other day. She wore purple capris with little bedazzled yellow butterflies on the hems and a blue t-shirt. Just like mine, Ben thought. Except his shirt had a shark on it. Sharks were his favorite because they didn’t need to be afraid of _anything._

Leia left Ben with a warning to play nice and moved to the kitchen with Mrs. Niima. The little girl hopped down off the couch to approach Ben. She dragged her pink blanket along behind her before she stopped right in front of him.

“Do you play Bionicles?” Ben asked her.

She just stared at him and pulled her blanket up to chew on it a little. Ben knew how it felt when you had to meet new people. Kindergarten had been so scary at first until he made friends and learned his teacher was actually pretty cool. He gets it because he’s shy sometimes, too.

Riia leaned forward, uncrossing her arms, and piped up from the couch, “She doesn’t really talk, Ben.”

“Yeah, and she cries like a little baby if you take that dumb blanket away from her,” Teedo said snidely. “She’s kinda weird,” he added, making a face as if he smelled something stinky.

Ben didn’t like that. He always wanted a brother or sister. He didn’t think you should talk about them like that.

“Well, I sometimes cry if someone takes my legos away. What’s your name, huh?” he asked her. He smiled a big smile showing all his teeth (well except the two he was missing in the front, which had fallen out only last week), hoping the girl would see he’s actually really nice in case she couldn’t already tell. “I’m Ben. I’m six,” he said, holding up six fingers.

She pulled the blanket from her mouth, but still said nothing. That’s okay, Ben thought. The first day of kindergarten he hadn’t made any friends, either.

A harsh laugh came from the couch. “Her name’s--” Teedo started to say, but was interrupted by the girl.

“Rey,” she said, then smiled a very small smile as she slowly pulled her blanket out of her mouth and held it out to Ben. He smiled back even bigger, but didn’t want to take her blanket from her in case she cried like Teedo said. “Oh, it’s okay, that’s _your_ blanket, you don’t have to share with me,” he said.

“Eeeewwww,” Riia squealed. “Rey, Ben’s not stupid. He doesn’t want your gross little blankie that you drooled all over,” she mocked.

Rey’s face crumpled, and the arm holding out the blanket began to fall. Ben knew what a bully was, his papa had taught him that word. He was pretty sure the twins were a bully. He didn’t like them even more for that, so he reached out to grab Rey’s blanket before she dropped it.

“It’s a nice blankie,” he said, taking the blanket in his hands to feel it. “So soft! Plus, red is my favorite color. And guess what! Miss Johnson at kindergarten showed me that pink is next to red on the color wheel. I think that means pink is my second favorite color. What’s your favorite color?” he asked Rey.

He heard whispers coming from the couch, but he ignored the bully over there. Stay on your stinky ugly couch and be meanie heads over there, he thought.

Rey shrugged. “Dunno.”

“I think it’s pink ‘cause you love your pink blankie,” Ben suggested.

“His name’s Morph,” Rey said quietly.

Another guffaw came from the couch. “Oh my god, you named it?” Teedo asked haughtily as he got up from the couch to stomp over to Ben and Rey. “Normal kids name stuffed animals, not blankets, Rey. You’re _so_ weird,” he said before huffing and heading into the kitchen to find the adults with the brownies. Riia followed.

Rey was back to looking sad, and Ben did not like that at all. He thought about the name she’d given her blankie some more and had an idea.

“I have Treasure Planet at my house. We can watch if my mama says it’s okay. I love Morph. He’s pink, too,” Ben says, thinking of his favorite movie. 

“Me too!” Rey exclaims, and for the first time, she’s full on grinning. “Morphy is so cute and my blankie is just like him. I love him!” she continues excitedly. 

Rey’s so fun, Ben thinks. So much more fun than those poopy twins who don’t know how lucky they are to have a new sister who loves Treasure Planet!

Leia, the twins, and their mom come back into the room with the brownies, now cut up, and Rey sits down right next to Ben on the ground as they munch on their treats.

She pretty much doesn’t leave his side after that. Since Rey is a year younger than him, she doesn’t get to go to the same school as Ben until she’s in kindergarten the next year, but they play together all the time. Their favorite game to play by far is Treasure Planet. 

Ben _loves_ to play captain because it reminds him of his papa, who’s a real life pilot. He wants to be just like his papa someday and fly anywhere he wants. Rey usually likes to be a pirate, but sometimes she wants to be the captain. Ben always lets her. When they’re not playing Treasure Planet, they’re drawing “tattoos” all over each other with Ben’s markers. He has the thin kind, and Rey is a really good artist. Plus, it completes the pirate look for when they play Treasure Planet, and Ben thinks it makes him look more like his papa, who has tattoos all over his arms. They usually get in trouble when they play tattoos. Leia always yells about wasting perfectly good wipes, but Ben and Rey just try to hold back their giggles at the smudges of green and red and blue all over their arms as they wipe away their tattoos.

There are days when Rey doesn’t super feel like playing, though. Those are her sad days. Ben doesn’t know why they happen, but he knows that Rey’s foster family isn’t always very nice to her, especially those twins. On those days, they usually ask Ben’s mama to put on Treasure Planet for them, so they can sit and say the lines with each of their favorite characters. 

When Ben is in third grade, they’re sitting on Rey’s blanket on the grass in front of Ben’s house, eating apple slices Leia cut up for them. Rey tells him she has no parents. Ben’s a little bit confused because he knows she has parents. The Niimas are her parents. He tells her so. She tells him they’re not her real parents. Her real parents left her before she could remember them. Ben thinks about his own parents and how very, very sad he would be if anything happened to them. Poor Rey, he thinks. She tells him she feels so alone because she doesn’t have a family, not really. Ben doesn’t know what to say, so instead, he just gets right up and sneaks into the pantry in his kitchen. He finds a Reese’s bar, Rey’s favorite, to give to her. As her eyes brighten when he hands her the candy, he decides that when he grows up, he’ll marry Rey so she can have a family and they’ll have eight dogs and their whole pantry will be full of Reese’s.

They grow older, and they make other friends. They still hang out together, though. Ben skateboards and Rey loves riding her bike, so sometimes they roll around the neighborhood together talking about sports or school. Ben plays basketball, but he doesn’t really like it. Han likes it, though, so Ben tries to be happy about it. What he does like is teasing Rey about Armie Hux down the street who totally has a crush on her, which is totally gross, he thinks. He likes Rey but like a sister! Still, it’s funny when he teases her about kissing Armie because she blushes _so much_ and tries to pedal faster on her bike to force him to catch up with her. He follows right after her every time. 

When Rey is in the eighth grade, she starts getting visits from her old social worker. Ben doesn’t think much about it, but one afternoon, Rey comes over to his house, eyes red rimmed and her hair falling out of its buns. She throws herself down onto his couch and explains that a woman named Maz Kanata is adopting her. She’s met her, and she says she’s very nice, if not a little bit quirky. Rey flits between excitement and anger as she explains the situation, but Ben thinks she’s also maybe sad. He sort of hopes she is a little bit, even if that makes him a bad person. He’s sad. His best friend in the whole world is moving away. All the way to San Diego! High school sucks enough as it is, and now he’ll never get to experience it with Rey.

They have two more months together, Rey says. Two months. And then what? Is he ever going to see her again? What is he going to do-- ride his skateboard around the neighborhood _alone_? He’s not gonna suddenly become friends with Armie. He tries to enjoy the last bit of time he has with Rey, but this whole thing just totally blows. One day, he tells Rey this. 

“Of course, it sucks, Ben, but what do you expect me to do? This is my shot at being a part of a _real_ family!” She has to hold back tears. “I couldn’t even say no if I wanted to. We can still...I can call you. We’ll stay in touch,” she insists.

Ben shakes his head and laughs bitterly. “Sure, Rey. Sure. I hope you realize you’re leaving me just like you always said your parents did to you. Runs in the family, I guess,” he grits out despite the bile he feels crawling up his throat at his own cruelty. 

They have the ugliest fight they’ve ever had that afternoon. Rey can’t believe he’d say that. She calls him selfish and a whole slew of words he didn’t even know she knew. Mrs. Niima would definitely ground Rey for a month if she heard those words come out of her mouth. 

Ben is fuming. He just doesn’t think Rey realizes what this means for him. How alone he’s going to be. He keeps raising his voice until finally, he says he hopes she knows Maz will never be her real family, either. 

That stops her right in her tracks. She shakes her head as more tears stream down her cheeks. She leaves and doesn’t look back as she slams his front door.

Ben doesn’t see her again. 

He texts her and he calls. He knocks and knocks and knocks on the Niimas’ door, but Teedo eventually opens up and tells him to go home every time. She never texts or calls back. He writes a letter to her, apologizing, and he slips it under the door of her house. He prays she gets it. He prays and prays that she’ll respond, but Rey moves to San Diego and he never hears from her.

Years go by, and Ben becomes friends with a new group at school. He starts dating a girl named Phasma, and he hangs with her and her friends in the run-down park behind Chill’s after school. He doesn’t like to be at home any more than he has to be. He quits the sports he’d played earlier on in high school. He fights with his dad, and he locks his mom out of his room when she tries to talk with him. Things feel cold and lonely at the Solo house, but Ben thinks maybe that’s what he deserves.

He applies to colleges exclusively on the east coast. There’s a moment when he’s filling out the common app that he considers selecting a school in San Diego to send his application to, but then he realizes how wildly illogical his motivations behind that urge are. He hasn’t spoken to or heard about Rey in years. She may not live in San Diego any more, and even if she did, he doesn’t know where at or where she’ll apply to college after next year. He moves on with his applications. 

He gets accepted to a few schools, but decides on Chandrila University in Virginia, because Phas is going there, too. They’re both gonna major in business, and Ben thinks about it as an opportunity to get away from the shitty town he’s grown up in and all the people there holding him back. Shortly after receiving his acceptance letter, Ben gets a call from his assigned advisor, Dr. James Snoke. 

Ben feels like Dr. Snoke is the first adult in his life who actually listens to him. He gets it when Ben says he’s just wanting a fresh start. He understands Ben’s need for control without him ever having to explicitly explain it. Dr. Snoke encourages him to lean into the business degree, tells him that with Ben’s drive and his connections, Ben’s going to get everything he wants. Phas helps him move into his dorm because Ben refused to let his parents come. 

Classes start, and Ben begins to think that attending Chandrila was the best decision he’s ever made. Even during his first semester, Dr. Snoke begins meeting with Ben to improve his interviewing skills. He teaches Ben the importance of having strong allies and committing to your work, giving it all you have. 

“Young Benjamin,” Dr. Snoke likes to say, “you must be willing to do _whatever_ it takes to get what you want, what you need- what you deserve! Otherwise, my boy, what’s the point?”

Ben’s lost a lot of things he’s wanted in the past. He thinks perhaps _now_ his life is finally going to start. 

He attends every meeting his advisor suggests, he shows up at the networking dinners with all the CU alumni Snoke can bring to campus. Phas comes, too. Ben starts to think that perhaps they’ll build a life together; she’s just as committed to Dr. Snoke’s vision for their lives as Ben feels he is. A power couple, Dr. Snoke calls them. Ben’s heart is full of...something. Maybe pride. Does pride feel this achy? Like...a hollowing out in your chest? He puts his head down, and he keeps working.

The alumni that Ben is introduced to work for a few different corporations. Ben’s familiar with a few of them. His mom used to be convinced they’re destroying the environment or some bleeding heart shit like that. 

Leia’s not in his life any more, Ben reminds himself. He gets their contact info and talks internships, much to Snoke’s satisfaction. 

His first semester is over before he knows it, and he signs up for all the classes his advisor recommends. A few of them are known to be particularly difficult.

“Whatever it takes, boy. _Whatever it takes_ ,” Dr. Snoke reminds him. 

He’s barely passing several of his classes three months into his second semester. That ache that’s been sitting in his chest for months now feels as if it’s grown teeth and has latched onto his heart.

It’s just the stress, he says as he looks in the mirror and sees the dark circles under his eyes. It’s normal, he tells himself while taking deep breaths after his heart started racing while sitting in lecture. 

Phasma notices that he’s falling behind. She gives him a number to call to...improve his situation. There’s people, she tells him, that he can pay to sit for him on his upcoming tests, people who guarantee better grades. Phas insists Snoke’s the one who showed her this “resource”.

“It’s merely another tool, my boy. Great men know how to take advantage of that which they have at their disposal,” Dr. Snoke tells him when he very tentatively brings it up at his weekly advising session. Lately, those sessions have felt a lot less like advising and more like verbal beat downs, but Ben knows Dr. Snoke just wants what’s best for him. 

“You just need the right kind of motivation. No one’s ever been honest with you, boy, and it shows. You’re soft as hell, and you’ve got to grow a pair if you want to make it in this world,” Snoke says from behind his desk. He’s leaning back, elbows resting on the arms of his chair, hands steepled in front of him. He stares Ben down until he agrees to call.

Ben heads back to his dorm and tries twelve different times to dial the number, but he never can bring himself to do it. He hasn’t applied to any of the internships the alumni or Snoke recommended, and summer is approaching. 

The next afternoon, Ben is in the midst of a freak out. He feels like he’s fallen into a pit and there is no way to climb out. He doesn’t know where else to turn, but he has to tell someone. He can’t do this. He can’t cheat. He can’t keep taking these classes surrounded by people that drain him dry of energy and empathy. 

He texts Phasma, hoping she’ll listen. She loves him, right? She’ll listen. She has to.

She doesn’t respond. He lays in his bed for hours, skipping class after class. 

The next thing he knows, his feet are carrying him to Dr. Snoke’s office. He’s not thinking about the fact that it’s not open office hours, he’s not thinking about the fact that Phas hasn’t returned his texts or calls. He’s not thinking, he just needs this ache to _stop_.

He rushes to Dr. Snoke’s door, it’s open, and he busts in. When had he started running? He’s not sure, but he’s out of breath.

Maybe that’s why he can’t process what’s in front of him. Maybe his brain isn’t getting enough oxygen or maybe he’s officially lost his mind and what he’s seeing isn’t real.

Behind his advisor’s desk stands Dr. Snoke, looking more disheveled than Ben’s ever seen him. Pressed between him and the desk is...well. That’s Phasma. Phasma has her arms...wrapped around their advisor’s neck. Why...would she…

At Ben’s intrusion, the two behind the desk whip their heads toward the door. Snoke takes a step away from Ben’s girlfriend. 

“Fuck. Fucking _fuck_ ! What the actual _hell_?” Someone is yelling, Ben realizes. Maybe it’s him. He’s breathing hard. Heaving, really. 

“Ben- Ben, this isn’t what it looks like!” Phasma has left Snoke behind the desk and is approaching Ben cautiously. Her lipstick is smeared, her hair has fallen out of its immaculately styled updo. The buttons on her top aren’t buttoned up properly. Ben...Ben stumbles backwards.

“Phas...Phasma. How long?” Ben croaks out. He licks his lips. There’s salt there. 

Phasma stutters a little before snapping her jaw shut and shaking her head. She can’t even come up with a response. Oh god, oh god, how did he not know?

“Oh for fuck’s sake,” Snoke says. “Are you _crying_? See, Phasma, dear. This is what I’m talking about.” He rounds the desk, coming to stand next to Phasma, who is just staring at Ben with wide eyes.

“You don’t want to be with _this_ ,” Snoke gestures at Ben, who has taken a few more steps backwards towards the door. He needs to...he needs to not be here. Anywhere but here. “He’s only holding you back.” Snoke wraps an arm around Phasma’s waist. “He’s _pathetic_. A child, really, and children have no reason to be in this office, let alone this damn building. Get out, Solo. It’s about time you ran home to mommy, anyway.”

Ben takes one last look at Phasma’s face, before turning and running out of the room. He stops running halfway across campus. He stops right in the middle of the lawn he’d been booking it across and falls to his knees. 

How is this happening, he asks himself. Why me, he asks the grass as he presses his face into the ground in front of him. 

He’d trusted Snoke, and sure he’d been harsher on him lately, but he never thought he’d...he’d do _that_ with a student. Let alone Ben’s girlfriend. Oh Phas… Ben swears right there that he’ll never fall for anyone ever again. This pain is deeper than any hurt he’s dealt with since coming to CU. Betrayal, Ben realizes, is the name of this jagged, sawing feeling. It’s uglier than any he’s felt before.

He doesn’t really know how long he lays there on the lawn. It’s dark by the time he gets up and heads back to his room. He doesn’t know what time it is when he gets back, but he starts packing up his things right away. He can’t be here any second longer than he has to be, consequences be damned. He’ll figure out how to let the school know later. All he can think about is getting back to his room on Waverly Court, to the house where his parents live, to the home he shouldn’t have ever run away from.

In the week following that night, as he packs all his belongings and loads up his car, Ben comes to the conclusion that there must be other sides of studying business that don’t feel like they suck the soul right out of your eyeballs, but after everything he’s been through this year with Snoke, he knows he can’t continue on this path. He doesn’t know how long it will be before he can get the bad taste out of his mouth. 

He drives cross country all the way back home with his tail between his legs, expecting his parents to be disappointed they have such a failure for a son, but knowing he has no other choice.

When he walks through the door of his parents’ house, his mom is in the kitchen. 

“Han? I didn’t hear you leave,” she calls, stepping out into the foyer, wiping her hands on a towel. 

Ben can’t bring himself to say anything. Instead, he bites his bottom lip and tries to smile at his mama, who now has tears streaming down her face. She’s covered her mouth with one of her hands, and hasn’t made a move towards him.

“Thought it was time I did the right thing,” is all Ben says as an explanation. 

Leia rushes forward and wraps her baby boy up in her arms. She cries some more into his chest and muffled words of love and welcome make their way past her sniffles as Ben holds her.

Han comes down the stairs, freezing when he notices Ben. He takes slow steps down the last of the stairs and walks over to Ben and Leia. He pats Ben a few times on the back.

“Hey kid,” his dad says, looking at Ben with eyes full of love and relief. 

Ben doesn’t think he deserves this. He doesn’t know what to say, how to express the gratitude and love that is starting to fill out that hollow feeling he’s had in his chest for nearly a year.

“Dad…” Ben manages to say, holding back tears. He gasps for air, but no other words come out.

Han reaches around Leia, who hasn’t let go of her son. He holds Ben’s cheek in his hand gently.

“I know,” he says, giving Ben another look full of what seems to Ben to be a lot like forgiveness.


	2. Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Yeah. It really has...you've been...you've been good?" he manages to ask. She turns ever so slightly towards him while still leaning her elbows against the railing.
> 
> There's something mischievous in her eyes.
> 
> "Yep," she says, her nose crinkling in just the way Ben remembers. "I've been really good."
> 
> Ben swallows nervously, then nods.
> 
> “Good, that’s go-”
> 
> "Missed you, though," she interrupts quickly.
> 
> Ben feels a swopping sensation in his gut as Rey laughs at what is surely a completely befuddled look on his stupid face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a bit of a spoiler since I purposely don't describe it till the end-so don't peek until you've read- but the tattoo design that inspired this is in the end notes. Happy reading!

_Let's get tattoos together, something to remember_

_If it's way too soon, fuck it, whatever_

_Give me shapes and letters, if it's not forever_

_Then at least we'll have tattoos together_

Ben takes the rest of the school year off.

Leia’s friends find out he’s back in town and before he knows it, he’s giving private lessons to little kids wanting to learn more about basketball. He tutors middle schoolers in English mostly, but he takes on the occasional math challenge. He doesn’t hate it as much as he thought he would, and with the amount of people his mom knows, he makes pretty good money. He’s mostly just grateful he didn’t have to go in for any interviews. The memories of Snoke’s mock interviews are fresh in his mind and they come with a whole slew of other memories, least of all the image of his ex-girlfriend’s red lipstick smudged all over her chin. The memory stings, but the more distance he puts between himself and that afternoon, the duller the pain.

He spends his free time reading and watching all the movies that came out in the last year that he never gave himself the time to go see. He talks with his mom. His dad joins in, too, sometimes, but mostly he picks his mom’s brain for ideas of how to move forward.

“You have such a big heart, Ben. And you’re stubborn as hell when you need to be,” she tells him. Ben snorts. “Hey now,” his mom lightly scolds him. “That stubbornness can be a good thing when there’s a lot of work to be done. Sweetheart, there are _so many_ people out there who are going to benefit from whatever it is you decide to do. I just want you to be happy, baby, whatever it is, whatever that looks like for you,” she tells him. 

Ben doesn’t have much figured out, but he decides to apply to Portland State. He doesn’t feel the urge to shut people out any more, and he’s started seeing a therapist at his mother’s request. Like so many things in his life these days, he doesn’t hate it as much as he thought he would. In fact, he actually finds himself able to process and work through the negative feelings and anxiety that rears its head every once in a while.

He gets accepted to PSU and heads back to school, major undeclared.

He keeps tutoring kids for extra cash even as he starts his first semester. He ends up having an interesting conversation with one of the mothers of the kids he tutors about social work. Amilyn Holdo works for the Department of Human Services, but she talks with Ben about the many different places that employ social workers and the wide variety of work that they do, which is so much more than Ben realizes. After shadowing Amilyn and a few of her colleagues at different non-profits, Ben makes a decision. If he has thoughts of a sad little girl who just wanted a place to belong while he fills out the online portal where he officially declares his major, well, Ben just calls it a coincidence. 

*****

He starts his second semester and because of his time at CU, he actually has enough credits to start taking a couple courses more geared towards social work. He loves it in a way that he’s never loved anything else ever before. Sometimes the sheer number and gravity of the issues out there that need to be tackled and can be tackled if he chooses this career are daunting, but he thinks he wants a shot at it, at doing this work. 

He becomes friends with a classmate named Finn. Finn Storm was once a foster kid, so his interests in social work come from particular experiences. Finn and Ben get along because they both take no shit from anybody, and they end up even talking about rooming together next year. Finn has a girlfriend, Rose, who’s a nursing major. Neither Rose nor Finn are ready to move in together any time soon. Besides, Rose loves living with her current roommate, who Ben always manages to miss any time Finn and Rose invite him over or go out for dinner with him. 

Spring Break arrives, and Ben and Finn have no plans to go anywhere. Thankfully for Finn, neither does Rose. Rose makes plans to have Finn and Ben over to her apartment for dinner Friday night, which is pretty par for the course at this point.

What ends up not being usual or anything Ben could have prepared for in any way is the sight of Rey, grown up and shining brighter than the damn sun, spinning around Rose’s kitchen, laughing as she checks something in the oven. She’s wearing a red t-shirt, white washed boyfriend jeans, and a yellow apron. Her hair is in one of those half up, half down styles with a single bun. He doesn’t realize he’s just standing in the doorway, staring, until Finn turns back around after setting the bottle of wine he brought on the counter. 

“Helloooooo. Earth to Ben! Earth to Ben!! Benjamin Chewbacca Solo! Whatcha doing there, big guy?” Finn asks him, waving his hands to get Ben’s attention. 

A loud metallic bang rings out in the kitchen. 

“Shit, Rey! Did you burn yourself?” Rose asks, concerned about her friend who is currently standing in the middle of the kitchen, looking for all the world as if she’s just seen a ghost. Rey’s mitten-covered hands are held out as if she were still holding the pan of brownies she’d just dropped, and it’s only when Rose grabs her hands to inspect for damages that Rey tears her eyes away from Ben, who is still standing by the door, crushing the baguette he’d brought over in his hands. 

“Yeah, yeah,” Rey says, bending down to pick up the pan she’d just dropped. Thankfully it landed right side up, so the brownies are secure. 

“What?! Where? Are you alright? Let’s run it under some cold water,” Rose sputters, confused.

Ben makes his way further into the apartment and sets the now squished bread down next to the wine. He’s also concerned about Rey. _Rey_ . How had her name never come up? Surely he would’ve noticed by now that Rose’s roommate was named the same as his childhood best friend. It doesn’t really matter, Ben thinks. Either way, she’s _here_ , in front of him. After all these years.

“Rose, I’m good...wait...huh?” Rey sets the brownies on the counter and turns to her friend who is becoming increasingly more alarmed, trying to drag her to the sink. “What are you-- oh, wait, no, no, I didn’t burn myself. I’m fine, thanks,” she assures her roommate. Rey can’t bring herself to turn around to see the man standing on the other side of her kitchen as she cuts up the brownies and helps Rose finish setting the table. 

On the other hand, Ben can’t take his eyes off her. Finn notices, but Ben couldn’t pay him any mind, even if he wanted to. He thinks about the last time he saw Rey, the last time they spoke, and he is overcome with shame all over again. Oh god, she probably hates him. What is she doing in Portland? Does she go to his school?? He doesn’t know if he can do this. Maybe he can just sneak back out the door before anyone notices. He’s not that noticeable or important, especially when compared to Rey, who is more beautiful than he thinks any person should have a right to be. Maybe they won’t even notice that he ditched dinner. He starts to take slow steps backwards towards the door, and maybe he’s aware that he’s running away from his problems _again_ , but he justifies it by telling himself it’s better for Rey. 

Finn catches him before he even makes it five feet toward the door. 

“Hey. Ben. Come help me set out drinks, dude,” Finn calls to him. 

Ben momentarily thinks about dropping out of school forever and never speaking to anyone he knows ever again, but he takes five deep breaths, then heads over to help Finn. 

“Oh yeah, duh,” Rose says as Ben joins them at the table. “This is my roommate, Rey. Rey, this is Ben, Finn’s friend from class.”

Ben looks at Rey. How does he play this? Does he say that he knows her? But does he know her? I mean, not really, it’s been how many years? She probably doesn’t want them to--

“Oh, actually, Ben and I have met,” Rey interrupts his spiraling thoughts.

Rose’s eyebrows fly skyward.

“Oh?? When did you meet?” Finn asks.

“W-w-we uh...when...okay so…” Ben stutters. Rey saves him.

“We met when I was five. I used to live across the street from Ben, when I lived with my last foster family. The ones right before Maz,” she explains to Rose and Finn, who seem familiar with the reference to the Niimas, as she finishes placing the last of the silverware on the table.

“Whaaaaat? Seriously?? What a small world!” Rose is way too excited about the news, Ben thinks as they all sit down at the table to eat. Rey is sat to Ben’s left and it takes all the determination Ben has to stare down at his plate instead of the freckles running across Rey’s nose and cheeks.

“Yeah, Ben,” Finn nudges Ben with his elbow. “What a small world.” Ben looks up at his friend who is giving him his best “we _will_ be talking about this later” face. 

Rose asks Ben if his parents still live at the house Rey mentioned, and Ben tells her yes. He explains that he moved away for a year, but he’s actually living there again, too. Rey doesn’t talk much during dinner. He’s probably just imagining it, but he _thinks_ she’s listening closely. He can’t bring himself to look directly at her as they eat, but whenever Rose or Finn asks him a question about his life, he sees Rey lean forward a little more. Her head cocks to the side just a bit so that she’s _just_ barely turned to look at him as he talks. He doesn’t blame her if she can’t stand the sight of him. 

Ben barely touches his food until Rey speaks up. “Is something wrong with the chicken, Ben?”

It’s a knee jerk response to turn in his seat towards her. Their eyes lock and Ben swears they spend whole minutes staring at each other before he manages to croak out, “Oh no. It’s...great.” He doesn’t say it with much enthusiasm but he sticks a big piece of the chicken in his mouth immediately after. Rey tucks her chin to her chest, lips pressed together as she stifles laughter. 

“You okay, there, Ben?” Finn asks, also struggling not to laugh at how awkward his friend is being. 

“Yesh, jusht peaschy,” Ben says as he struggles to chew the chicken he’d shoved in his mouth. He looks over at Rey again, who has her lips curled in and her head down as she battles a fit of giggles. 

“It’sh reawy delishush!” he adds, sounding ridiculous because he’s pretty sure Rey’s about to crack and _damnit_ he wants to hear her laugh.

He succeeds.

The rest of dinner goes surprisingly well, and Rey doesn’t seem nearly as hesitant to make eye contact with Ben after that, who still feels like he’s hyper aware of every little thing while sitting next to her, but he’s making it work. Is he smiling too big? He softens his smile. But okay, maybe now his lips look like they’re twitching? Did she notice? Are his eyes squinty? He feels like she’s so beautiful, it almost hurts to look at her. There’s so much he wants to know, so many questions he has for her, but he doesn’t feel like he deserves the answers.

When the table is cleared, the four of them make their way into the living room. Rose pours everyone more wine and they discuss movie options. 

“Oh oh oh!! Finn! We never watched that movie Rey loves so much,” Rose exclaims. 

She is, perhaps, a little bit tipsy.

“Which movie, baby?” Finn asks as his girlfriend snuggles into his side in an oversized chair really meant for one. Ben and Rey sit on the sofa.

“That one she watches when she’s sick or like...I dunno after a bad test. It’s her bad day movie. You know the one, Rey? Finn and I were _going_ to watch it last week, but _somebody_ tried that sketchy food truck and got food poisoning,” she says, poking her boyfriend in the ribs.

Ben notices that Rey has gone pretty still on her side of the couch, and she doesn’t respond to her friend’s questions. 

“Oh yeah, the one with the dog people, right? What’s it called, Rey?” Finn asks her again.

“They’re _not_ dog people,” Rey says indignantly. “And it’s...it’s Treasure Planet,” she mumbles as she gets up to head to the bookshelf next to the TV. 

Ben blinks. She…? Treasure Planet…? He shouldn’t feel as...elated as he does. Her bad day movie is still the same after all these years. He shouldn’t assume, but he can’t help but hope that this means the worst memory he made with Rey wasn’t enough to ruin all the good ones. 

She pulls it out from amongst a stack of other DVDs and turns it on while Finn and Rose pour themselves more wine. Rey sits back down on the couch as the movie starts, and Ben can’t stop the corners of his mouth from tugging up into a sheepish smile when he catches the glance Rey throws his way. 

The movie starts, and Finn and Rose are almost immediately into it. 

“Okay, I didn’t like the rat tails when the padawans did it, but I have to say Jim Hawkins, you’re making me rethink all my important opinions,” Finn declares.

“Who even is this guy?! A turtle? Oh, don’t trust him Jim, I don’t like this, seems too creepy,” Rose decides.

Rey continues to shoosh them after every outburst. It isn’t until Mr. Arrow is showing Jim around the ship that Ben realizes he hasn’t heard anything from the peanut gallery in a good minute. He glances over and immediately realizes why.

“They tend to do that when we watch movies,” Rey whispers with a sigh when she notices Ben grimacing at his friends making out while the movie plays on. 

“C'mon,” Rey says, standing up from the couch.

“But- the movie isn’t-” Ben starts.

“What? Like you don’t know how it ends?” Rey asks, quirking an eyebrow. 

Ben gets up to follow her to a sliding glass door. Rey opens it, careful not to make much noise and steps outside onto a small patio. As Ben moves to lean on the patio railing, Rey slides the door shut and begins to pull the half of her hair that’s been down up into two more buns. Ben can’t help but notice that the cherry earrings she wears match the soft red of her lips, and he prays she doesn’t notice his staring.

“So…” Rey says as she joins him to lean against the railing and look out at the parking lot below. 

“So.”

“It’s been...a while.”

Ben once again feels extremely aware of every little thing he’s doing. He probably looks like one giant fidgeting monster who can’t stop touching his hair or pulling on the ends of the plaid button up he’s wearing or munching on his lower lip.

"Yeah. It really has...you've been...you've been good?" he manages to ask. She turns ever so slightly towards him while still leaning her elbows against the railing.

There's something mischievous in her eyes.

"Yep," she says, her nose crinkling in just the way Ben remembers. "I've been really good."

Ben swallows nervously, then nods.

“Good, that’s go-”

"Missed you, though," she interrupts quickly.

Ben feels a swopping sensation in his gut as Rey laughs at what is surely a completely befuddled look on his stupid face.

“Oh, I uh...we...okay. I...um. Missed you. Too.” 

God. Idiot.

She smirks at him. “So what have you been up to, Benny boy?” Now, she’s turned her whole body towards him and is looking right at him as if she can’t wait to hear what he has to say. 

Ben thinks he’s not going to be able to come up with any kind of coherent answer, but before he knows it, he’s spilling his guts. He tells her about high school, gently tip toeing around how lonely he felt after she left. He explains how he wanted to get away, so he shipped himself off to the east coast with his ex. At this, Rey interrupts to ask about Phasma. Ben tells her that his relationship with Phasma always seemed to make _sense_ to him, but he’s not sure he ever felt anything close to love for her. As he explains this, he realizes how very true it is. 

After talking about Phasma, he recounts what happened at Chandrila, and Rey’s eyes look a little like there might be a few tears sitting there waiting to fall. He explains how welcoming his parents were when he showed up at their house, how he’s been seeing a therapist to work on some of his issues. When he talks about how he decided on his major, a few tears do stream down her cheeks. 

When he’s done, he’s about to launch into a long, drawn out apology, when Rey begins to fill him in on what she’s been up to since they last saw each other. She played soccer in high school and _loved_ it. She considered playing in college, but ultimately, she decided she wanted to head back to Portland for college and ended up getting a huge academic scholarship for her grades. She tells him that she’s majoring in biology and that she wants to be a pediatrician. She talks about her adoptive mother, Maz, with a huge grin on her face. Ben can practically hear the love in her voice when she tells him that Maz teaches art to middle schoolers. 

“She’s the most interesting person I’ve ever known, Ben. She sees the world like no one else, and I think it was just what I needed. Someone who didn’t have these rigid expectations of me, someone who was willing to let me be me, to hold me when I needed it without needing a million explanations. She’s actually gotten _more_ nosy the older I’ve gotten now that I think about it,” Rey chuckles and her eyes are full of fond affection. “She’s...well, my mom’s my best friend, really.”

Ben thinks his heart might burst hearing that Rey finally found the family she deserved. That feeling is quickly overwhelmed, however, by the memory of the last conversation they had. Of the moment when he told her that Maz would never really be her family.

“Rey, listen. I just have to say that I am so happy to hear that...to know that you found a place to belong. Or I guess...that that belonging found you...the point is that you deserve to feel loved...so loved. And I just...I need to apologize for what I said to you before you left, I haven’t stopped thinking about it, really. I wrote you a letter, but you never got-”

“Ben,” Rey interrupts, placing a hand on his forearm. “I got your letter.”

“You…?” Ben can’t believe it.

“And ya know what? I was in the wrong, too, ya know? I should’ve listened to you when you wanted to apologize in person. I knew it even then. But I was too chicken to say anything, and I thought maybe it was just better to end it like that. I didn’t want to think about saying goodbye, so the anger was easier to swallow. Besides, we were just kids. Kids make stupid mistakes all the time.”

“Well, yeah, but Rey, I hurt you. I couldn’t see past myself for one damn minute to understand what the situation was doing to you.”

“Okay, sure. Well, I accept your apology, and I hope you accept mine. And maybe...maybe you might consider giving this friendship another go?” Rey suggests, her face open and full of hope.

“Rey, I would love to, I just...I’m a mess, really, and-”

“Ben, I’m a mess, too! Who isn’t?” Rey laughs again. 

God. That laugh. Being with Rey again is unlike anything he ever felt with Phasma, he thinks. Their relationship had been practical, at least at the time. They wanted the same things, he had thought. With Rey, he has no idea how any kind of relationship with her is going to go. Nothing about this really makes sense and he’s only been reunited with her for what- three hours? But what Ben is sure of is that he wants her in his life again. Maybe he even needs this- someone who, even after all this time, looks at him like she gets it, like she actually understands what makes him tick, what he’s trying to say even when he doesn’t think he has the right words to say it.

He smiles at her, cheeks crinkling from how huge his grin is. “That’s fair, sweetheart. Another go it is,” he says.

Rey’s eyebrows rise at the term of endearment and she’s just about to call him on it when the sliding door squeaks open.

“There you are!!” shouts Rose, coming to stand between Ben and Rey on the patio. “The movie’s over, and Finn and I have an idea!”

“Okay, just to be clear,” Finn butts in, sticking his head outside. “This is Rose’s idea. I’m just supporting her.”

“Oh and I love you for it, babe,” Rose gushes. She glances between Rey and Ben. “Okay, hear me out. Let’s get tattoos. Together.”

“Oh, uh,” Ben starts to stammer, when he’s interrupted by Rey throwing her arms around her roommate.

“Rosey!! I love that idea!! I’ve always wanted a tattoo! And the night is still so young!”

It’s 11 p.m. Ben’s normally in bed by now.

“YESSSSS!” Rose squeals. “We’re doing this, _we’re doing this._ Finn, get my keys.”

Rose and Finn head back inside, followed by Rey, who pauses at the sliding door. She turns back to Ben who is left leaning against the rail, wondering what he’s gotten himself into.

“You coming, big guy?” she asks, holding out a hand.

Ben stares at that hand. Is he really going to get the chance to be friends with Rey again? And are they really about to get tattoos? Together? 

Rey wiggles her fingers at him, still waiting for him to take her hand.

Ben makes the decision.

He takes her hand. “Course, I am, sweetheart.”

*****

The tattoo gun buzzes as “Work Song” by Hozier plays in the background. Rose and Finn are standing off to the side of the artist’s workstation, and Ben sits next to Rey, who decided to go first.

“Here we go,” the tattoo artist says before counting to three for Rey and beginning the tattoo, which had been her idea. Her friends had agreed to the design almost immediately, though Ben had needed a moment to wrap his mind around the fact that _that_ was going on his shoulder. He watches Rey grimace only slightly before laughing as she realizes the pain isn’t nearly as bad as she’d thought it’d be.

_When my time comes around, lay me gently in the cold, dark earth. No grave can hold my body down, I’ll go home to her._

Rey turns her head a little to look at Ben as she gets tattooed and smiles at him. 

Ben has the sudden clarifying realization that he _gets_ Hozier. 

The tattoo artist finishes with Rey’s tattoo much more quickly than Ben had thought, but he’s reminded by a smug Finn that “it’s only linework, Benny boo”. He’s up next, so he stands and takes his shirt off.

While the tattoo artist shaves the spot where his tattoo will sit- the opposite shoulder as the one where Rey’s is- he hears Rose whistle long and low.

“Who knew you had all _that_ hiding under that plaid, Ben?” Rose teases, gesturing to his abdomen. Ben’s embarrassed until Rose nudges Rey with her elbow, and gestures to him again. He doesn’t miss the blush that’s absolutely overwhelming the freckles on her cheeks.

*****

About 10 minutes into Ben’s tattoo, Rose notices the blood pooling in Rey’s tattoo wrap. 

“Ick, Rey that looks gnarly,” Rose pouts.

“It’s normal,” the tattoo artist reminds them. 

“Oh....oh…..good. That’s….yeah...it’s….” Finn says breathlessly.

“You okay, babe?” Rose asks, alarm creeping into her voice as she realizes Finn’s a little pale and fixated on the clear wrap laying overtop Rey’s fresh tattoo. There’s not even that much blood, but Finn is...not handling it well.

“Yeah...oh yeah….you guys, I’m just-” Finn mumbles right before he collapses.

He goes down pretty hard, hitting his head on a metal tray on the way.

“Shit,” the man tattooing Ben say. “Connie!” he calls, still focused on the line he’s making on Ben’s shoulder.

The woman from the front desk comes running and finds Finn regaining consciousness on the floor. Rose is cradling his head and trying to keep him awake. Connie speaks with Rose and Rey about calling an ambulance, since Finn should probably be checked out for a concussion. He hit that tray pretty hard. 

“No, no, no ambulances. I can take him. I’ll take him,” Rose says. 

“What’s...what happened?” Finn asks groggily.

Ben is worried about his friend, obviously, but he’s still being tattooed, so he encourages Rose and Rey to take Finn.

“I’ll be fine, I’ll just catch an uber home,” he tells them, remembering they all drove over in the same car.

“No way, nope. I’m not leaving you alone to finish up our _matching_ tattoos, Ben,” Rey says firmly.

“Rey-” Ben begins.

“No, yeah, that’s totally fine. That works. I can take Finn, and Rey will stay with you, Ben. I can venmo you guys some money for the uber since we’re basically ditching you,” Rose says. 

“Perfect. Rosey, you take care of him, okay? Be careful driving, and please text us once you see a doctor, alright?” Rey helps Rose gather up their things. She walks them to the door before returning to Ben’s side.

“Some night,” says the tattoo artist.

“Psh! Yeah, you can say that again! Guess it’s just you and me, then, Ben,” Rey giggles. He laughs with her because it feels like the most natural thing in the world, despite the craziness that just went down. He thinks to himself that whatever else happens this weekend and beyond, at least he and Rey will have tattoos together. 

*****

Three months later and after many long phone calls and late night texts, Ben finally conjures the courage to ask Rey on an actual, proper date. 

They begin sophomore year as an official couple and if anyone noticed they already had matching couple’s tattoos, well, they’d just share a laugh and shrug. Finn and Rose never did end up going back to get tattoos, and although Finn ended up being totally fine, he says it’ll be years before he steps foot in a tattoo shop again.

*****

Ben brings Rey soup during her endless MCAT study sessions during their junior year. He has no idea how she can stand to eat it, even in the warm months, but she guzzles down the stuff, and who is he to come between his girl and the soup she loves? He likes taking care of her, just as she takes care of him. He always brings her crackers with the soup, even though she always says she doesn’t want them with the soup. She inevitably ends up munching on the crackers as she tries to work through chemistry questions late at night. Ben rubs the knots out of her shoulders and neck when she feels achy from sitting at a desk bent over review books. His thumb lingers slightly over the place he knows the tattoo is. _Tattoos together_ , he thinks and cherishes the memory. 

Ben applies to Masters programs during their senior year shortly after Rey submits her medical school applications the summer before. Ben lands an interview at San Diego State University, and he stays with Maz the weekend he travels down for the interview. She cooks him dinner while he’s there, and Maz asks him if he knows why Rey got that tattoo on her left shoulder.

“She always laughs and tells me ‘It’s a reminder that there’s work to be done, Mama’ as if that explains that odd little thing. She ever tell you what it is, Benjamin?” Maz goes right in for the kill. 

Ben tries to swallow down his bite of halibut, but it feels caught in his throat. Maz’s eyebrows raise, and she taps her fork on her plate as she waits.

“Oh uh...ya know...um...I think it...I don’t know. It’s just...tattoos are so personal, so really, whatever she told you is probably what it means. Maam,” he hedges pitifully, not wanting to say anything that Rey hasn’t been willing to share already.

Maz shakes her head and narrows her eyes at him. She knows this boy knows, but she lets it go. She may see right through him, but Ben is pretty sure she doesn’t know the topic of their conversation is also sitting on his shoulder at that very moment. That night, Rey calls and _screams_ that UC San Diego School of Medicine, her dream school, wants to interview her. While he’s screaming back in excitement, Maz feels a swell of pride followed shortly by the thought that this boy might just be alright for her precious ray of sunshine. 

*****

Rey’s interview happens three weeks later. It goes better than she expected, she says. Ben had no doubts. 

Their acceptance letters come a month later, within three days of each other. 

*****

The next year, Ben is sat next to Maz in a theater, surrounded by the families and friends of all the USCSDSOM first year students. It’s Rey’s white coat ceremony, the event at which the medical students are given their first white coats, stethoscopes, and say the hippocratic oath. It’s a lot of pomp and circumstance, but he’s willing to sit through anything for his girl. She looks exceptionally beautiful today in a sleeveless green dress that tucks in at her waist and flares out gently to fall down to her knees. Rey is given her coat and stethoscope, and as she makes her way down the stage steps, she finds Ben and Maz in the crowd. Her joy is bursting through that wide smile of hers. Ben reaches across his own chest with his right hand to tap his left shoulder, almost as if he was patting himself on the back. Rey mimics the gesture, and Maz is baffled at what such a move could mean, but given the few tears that are now rolling down both their cheeks, it seems to mean quite a lot. 

Years go by, and Ben and Rey are at the beach. They finally managed to schedule a coordinated family vacation with Han, Leia, and Maz, as well as Finn and Rose. It’s the first time Maz realizes the tattoo she’d wondered about is also on Ben’s shoulder, though the opposite side. She doesn’t ask any more, she let go of the need to know a long time ago. She watches her daughter tiptoe carefully to the edge of the waves followed, unbeknownst to her, by her husband. He rushes up behind her and picks her up in a bridal carry as he walks out further toward the water. Rey shrieks as Ben acts as though he’s going to drop her into the water, but he holds her tight. Once Rey calms down, she wraps her arms around Ben’s neck and whispers something in his ear. Maz goes back to setting up the cooler and towels she’d carried down to their umbrella, knowing full well when to leave a newly married couple to themselves.

Four years later, the swim instructor of little Rian Solo wonders about the tattoo on Mr. Solo’s shoulder as she begins her group water-tot class. Teaching these classes with parents and their kids means she sees all sorts of tattoos, but this one in particular sticks out to her because of its shape. It seems somehow familiar, but she can’t quite put her finger on it. Of course, it could just be a random assortment of shapes and lines, but she likes to imagine it’s important to him since it’s the only one he has, as far as she can tell. She probably shouldn’t be so nosy or ogling Mr. Solo, for that matter. He’s nice enough, even if he doesn’t talk too much. 

Mrs. Solo, on the other hand, is so sweet and friendly. She’s especially helpful to have around when the kids cry during their lessons because she’s a pediatrician, so she knows how to soothe a stressed out child. She shows up late wearing scrubs to every class, but she always has a camera with her. She’s sure to take all sorts of pictures of Mr. Solo and Rian, but she also takes quite a few of the Storms with little Paige. The swim instructor shrugs off these wandering thoughts of hers and goes back to encouraging parents to blow bubbles with their little ones.

Ben Solo actually ends up taking several swim classes over the years with the three other children he and Rey have after Rian. Hannah, Arthur, and Ceecee are all adopted at various ages, but it’s important to the Solos that their kids are safe around the water, especially given all the family vacations they take to the beach with Han, Leia, and Maz. As their kids grow up, Ben and Rey both become respected authorities in their fields known for doing all they can when it comes to the kids in their professional care. 

*****

Ben, Finn, and Rey sit together impatiently in the waiting room while Paige gives birth to their first grandchild. Rose walks through the waiting room doors eventually, smiling proudly and bringing happy news of a smooth delivery and a healthy mom and baby.

Later, Rian takes his daughter from his mother and turns to his dad. “Ready for Padme, pops?” he asks. Ben cries when he holds his granddaughter in his arms for the first time, just like he has with every child they’ve welcomed into their home. 

*****

It’s a couple decades and some change later, and both Ben and Rey Solo are retired. Never ones to sit down when there’s work still to be done, they continue to mentor young professionals in their fields, and they hold support groups for foster parents in their area. Rey’s hair has gone gray, but she keeps it long for her grandchildren to play with. Ben’s hair is more on the silver side, as is his beard that he keeps short- except for Christmas time when he dresses up as Santa for the children in his life. 

The Solos stand together, just outside the huge white tent set up to hold the reception for Padme’s wedding. Lights have been strung all around the tent, as well as along the path leading to the parking lot and main building where the ceremony was held. The forest to the east butts up against the tent towering over nearly all their loved ones. It’s a beautiful sight on a pleasant night, but there’s a slight chill in the air. Ben pulls his wife close, her back to his front, and they sway with the breeze as the band plays. Rey can see their children and grandchildren scattered throughout the covering of the tent. It’s a gift beyond compare to have them all so close, safe and together. 

Ben bends down to kiss the spot just above the tattoo on Rey’s shoulder before shrugging off his suit jacket and wrapping it around her. That tattoo....it’s faded over the years, and the edges aren’t nearly as crisp as they once were, but he cherishes it still. It’s the map from Treasure Planet, a sphere dotted with circles connected by curved lines. He remembers the night they got tattoos together...the night that changed his life forever and led him to this moment. He fights back tears as he pulls her closer. She is more dear to him now than she ever has been.

“How you doin?” he whispers gently in her ear.

She turns a little in his arms to kiss him softly. “Mmmm, I’m good, baby. More than good,” she says. She leans her head back on his chest, the top of her head fitting just under his chin. They’re pressed together, wrapped so tightly in this cocoon of warmth and belonging that it takes him a second to catch what Rey’s just asked him.

“What was that, my love?”

She pauses their swaying to turn around in his arms once again. She wraps her arms around his neck, and he bends down so his head is closer to her eye level. 

She looks at him. Just takes him and his furrowed brow in because she can and she enjoys it, even all these years later.

“Do you think we’ve done it?” she repeats herself. He kisses her softly just above her brow. 

“Done what, sweetheart?” he questions.

“Rattled the stars, Ben. Do ya think our defiance was enough to shake em?” She grins a little mischievously. 

Ben thinks back on the years that stretch between now and that night they got tattoos together. He thinks of the people they’ve known, the people they’ve fought alongside and the people they’ve fought for, professionally and personally. Of the life he’s lead with this woman. A life with her that’s been more than he ever deserved.

He nods, answering her question, and he pulls the jacket he’s loaned her tighter around her shoulders, making sure she’s warm now that the sun has set.

He whispers, “The stars never stood a chance.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!! I hope this was soft enough to at least hit the spot a little bit after TROS. It was pretty cathartic for me to write the Solos getting the HEA they deserve. 
> 
> If you're wondering, the tattoo that inspired the design choice was this one I found on pinterest:
> 
> I imagine Ben and Rey's slightly smaller and on their shoulders obviously, but that's the gist.
> 
> I re-watched Treasure Planet recently (at the behest of my dear friend and fellow Reylo Amber) and the quote "You're gonna rattle the stars" about Jim reminded me so much of "His defiance will shake the stars" about Ben-- I had to give em a TP tattoo after that!!
> 
> Let me know what you thought and if you wanna chat some more or keep up with other stuff I write, you can find me on twitter [here](https://twitter.com/emchewchew)


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